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Drivers not panicking near NASCAR’s halfway point

By WTOP Staff

PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Jimmie Johnson knows the panic to make Sprint Cup’s championship chase is coming.

The defending Sprint Cup champion is among those drivers yet to win a race this season, the first since NASCAR expanded its 10-race playoffs to 16 cars and put a bitter emphasis on wins over point standings.

Nine drivers have won the first 11 races, with Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano the two-time winners. And each new winner has gleefully talked of locking up a spot to race for a title.

For Johnson, it’s far too early to fret about lost opportunities. Not with the Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR’s longest race, coming up Sunday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“There are always different challenges in this sport and I know we’ll get it,” Johnson said Thursday.

Johnson got the week off to a strong start, taking the pole for the race with a fast lap of 194.911 mph. It was Johnson’s fourth career pole here and he try for his record-breaking seventh Charlotte victory from up front.

“We had a strong race car all day and I’m obviously very pleased with my performance,” he said.

Johnson’s not worrying about his place this season. After all, he says the window to make the championship has widened with the increase from 12 to 16 teams “and I really don’t think there’s going to be 16 different winners.”

The Sprint Cup series opened with seven different winners this season. Harvick ended that streak with a second victory this year at Darlington and Logano followed that with win No. 2 at Richmond.

But then Denny Hamlin and Jeff Gordon added their names to the already lengthy NASCAR playoff list with victories at Talladega and Kansas.

With just 15 races left, regular Sprint Cup winners like Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart join Johnson on the winless list.

It’s no fun for Clint Bowyer to see his team outside looking in at the moment. Bowyer has made the chase in five of the past seven seasons, finishing a career-best second in points two years ago.

“The first half certainly isn’t where we’re accustomed to running and hasn’t been as smooth as we need it to be,” said Bowyer, who is 20th in points. “The flip side to that is we’re only halfway and we’ve got a long ways to go with a lot of racing.”

And those winners this season aren’t slowing down, either.

Harvick, in his first season with Stewart-Haas Racing, has relished racing up front and challenging for the checkered flag most weeks. He’s had an 11th place, a seventh and a runner-up to Gordon in his past three outings since taking the Southern 500 last month. Still, he’s 10th in the points standings because of four finishes of 36th or worse this season.

“Sometimes I think our problems are sticking out a little bit more than they would in a normal situation just for the fact you are racing for a win, you are not racing for 10th,” said Harvick, who won the Coca-Cola 600 in 2011 and 2013.

The changes in the Chase format have caused some teams to change strategy. Road course specialist Marcos Ambrose says those layouts are his team’s best chance to score a qualifying victory and it’s important they test there.

“I would say that the road course is a factor,” the Richard Petty Motorsports driver said. “It’s a factor we’re thinking about, but we’re not necessarily putting all our eggs in that basket.”

Johnson’s had a basket of victories since joining NASCAR with Hendrick Motorsports in 2001. In fact the only time, Johnson’s gone winless was that first year when he raced just three times. Only one time in the 12 seasons since has Johnson won as few as two races. He was a six-time winner last year as he won his sixth title.

“As long as we keep a smart mind on points and have good finishes and keep ourselves up in points, we’ll keep our postseason hopes alive,” Johnson said. “And in the postseason we have amazing race tracks for us.”

But Johnson is prepared for that final month of racing when he knows the hard-charging competitors will take chances knowing their postseason is at stake.

“I think once we get toward the end of the year, you’ll definitely see some aggression,” he said. “There could very well be some heated racing up front.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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